Widdershins
(Widdershins, Book 1)
By Helen Steadman
Narrated by Christine Mackie
The new audio book of Widdershins is narrated brilliantly by talented actor, Christine Mackie, from Downton Abbey, Coronation Street, Wire in the Blood, and so on.
The first part of a two-part series, Widdershins is inspired by the Newcastle witch trials, where 16 people were hanged. Despite being the largest mass execution of witches on a single day in England, these trials are not widely known about. In August 1650, 15 women and one man were hanged as witches after a Scottish witchfinder found them guilty of consorting with the devil. This notorious man was hired by the Puritan authorities in response to a petition from the Newcastle townsfolk who wanted to be rid of their witches.
Widdershins is told through the eyes of Jane Chandler, a young woman accused of witchcraft, and John Sharpe, the witchfinder who condemns her to death. Jane Chandler is an apprentice healer. From childhood, she and her mother have used herbs to cure the sick. But Jane soon learns that her sheltered life in a small village is not safe from the troubles of the wider world. From his father’s beatings to his uncle’s raging sermons, John Sharpe is beset by bad fortune. Fighting through personal tragedy, he finds his purpose: to become a witchfinder and save innocents from the scourge of witchcraft.
Praise for Widdershins:
The Historical Novel Society said of Widdershins: “Impeccably written, full of herbal lore and the clash of ignorance and prejudice against common sense, as well as the abounding beauty of nature, it made for a great read. There are plenty of books, both fact and fiction, available about the witch-trial era, but not only did I not know about such trials in Newcastle, I have not read a novel that so painstakingly and vividly evokes both the fear and joy of living at that time.”
When you say the word ‘witchcraft’ to most people, they will think of fantasy, of fiction, magic wands, cauldrons and spells. In 1600s Newcastle, though, witchcraft meant a different thing entirely. A witch was someone who consorts with the Devil, and who intended harm to the inhabitants of the earth.
This novel follows John Sharpe and Jane Chandler, a man who is determined to rid the world of witches, and a woman who is a healer. This book will automatically make you love Jane and hate John, their personalities and livelihoods as different as can be. John is a hateful man, and Jane is a woman who has seemingly unlimited love.
The whole idea that women are lesser than men, and that they are more susceptible to falling under the Devil’s control is utterly ridiculous, and yet, people used to believe such things and the people who believed were, for the most part, men who had the power to rid the earth of these ‘witches’. The poor women "suspected witches" were treated abhorrently, and if someone was found to be innocent, there was little remorse from those who had abused them. If they were found guilty, there was no mercy. There are some scenes in this book that can truly chill you to the bone, and there is enough tension to cut with a knife.
The audio version of this book helped to add to the tension, as it gives the book an added sense of realism, especially with the different voices the narrator gives each character. It was an exceptionally well-narrated story.
I enjoyed the twists and turns of this book. There are, however, some shocking scenes as corrupt men tried to uphold ‘the law’. The attention to the historical backdrop was wonderful and it really made this era come to life. If you want to read /listen to a thriller-type account of the lead up to the Newcastle Witch Trials then, this is the one you must read/listen to!
This novel is available at
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Dr Helen Steadman
Dr Helen Steadman is a historical novelist. Her first novel, Widdershins and its sequel, Sunwise were inspired by the Newcastle witch trials. Her third novel, The Running Wolf was inspired by a group of Lutheran swordmakers who defected from Germany to England in 1687.
Despite the Newcastle witch trials being the largest mass execution of witches on a single day in England, they are not widely known about. Helen is particularly interested in revealing hidden histories and she is a thorough researcher who goes to great lengths in pursuit of historical accuracy. To get under the skin of the cunning women in Widdershins and Sunwise, Helen trained in herbalism and learned how to identify, grow and harvest plants and then made herbal medicines from bark, seeds, flowers and berries.
The Running Wolf is the story of a group of master swordmakers who left Solingen, Germany and moved to Shotley Bridge, England in 1687. As well as carrying out in-depth archive research and visiting forges in Solingen to bring her story to life, Helen also undertook blacksmith training, which culminated in making her own sword. During her archive research, Helen uncovered a lot of new material and she published her findings in the Northern History journal.
Helen is now working on her fourth novel.
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Christine Mackie
Christine Mackie has worked extensively in TV over the last thirty years in well-known TV series such as Downton Abbey, Wire in the Blood, Coronation Street, French & Saunders and The Grand. Theatre work includes numerous productions in new writing as well as classics, such as A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Comedy of Errors, Richard III, An Inspector Calls, and the Railway Children. In a recent all women version of Whisky Galore, Christine played three men, three women and a Red Setter dog!
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Thank you for hosting today's blog tour stop!
ReplyDeleteThanks very much for hosting today's stop on the Widdershins tour, and thank you for the lovely review. (If you're able to post your review on Audible, both Christine and I would be immensely grateful.) Best wishes, Helen
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